the two of them sat next to each other in the throne room of Mithril Hall, a few empty flagons strewn across the dais where they sat, both quite inebriated. the larger of the two fell back on his back, belched and said

"ye know wha' Rumblebelly?"

the smaller one fell repeated the actions of the larger, with a much louder belch and replied

"what is it O King Bruenor?"

"I'm lonely wi' all the young'ns away."

Regis, for that was Rumblebelly's real name, turned his head towards the dwarf king and stated "I know how you feel, with out them it seems so empty, even surrounded by hundreds of dwarves, I feel old without them around but older still without them."

that got the dwarf to look at him and ask

"how old are ye anyway?"

Regis sighed and looked back to the ceiling saying "how old do you think I am?"

"50 or so." replied the dwarf after some thought

"i'm a little over 100 years old, and if everything goes as I plan, I should at least see 250. but with the assassin coming, the dark elves invading, and Wulfgar…"

the dwarf king sniffed slightly at Wulfgar's name, and the two of them looked at the bloodstained hammer Aegis Fang that hung in the hall.

they sat in silence for a few minutes before Bruenor continued "yer quite old then, ye got any brats we don't know about?"

" don't know, don't want to go to Calimport to find out, not safe. besides, I have Drizzt and Catti-brie to watch be stupid. I ask you, could Drizzt ogle her more conspicuously?"

the two of them shared a laugh that echoed merrily and drunkenly through out the Hall.

as the laughter died the two of them shared a comfortable silence, thinking about the two that had left only a few weeks before.

" 'ey Regis…" the dwarf said in an uncertain tone

the Halfling looked towards the dwarf, confused as to the sudden use of his name

Bruenor kissed him, quickly, and pulled back, unsure of himself. "sorry," he said " couldn't help m'self, t'was the mead."